Bimota Forum

Lynton · Joined: 12 Apr 2010 Posts: 12 Location: United Kingdom

I used the American stuff - see it on my web site on the Ducati 175 rebuild.

Have used it many times before - works great.
_________________
Lynton.Stewart-Ashley
www.taglioni.co.uk

Jonny B Bad · Joined: 05 Dec 2009 Posts: 555 Location: NE London

Hi Oily

I've now got the same gremlins - white stuff getting past the fuel filter and blocking the pilot jets. I've striped and cleaned the carbs once and it ran fine for a couple of hundred miles and now it's back again. Did you end up coating your tank or did the clean out sort it?
_________________
What, Jonny's gone!

oily · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 4788 Location: worcestershire

Hello JBB,
No I didn't bother coating the tank....
I just gave it a good wash out with petrol and fitted an in-line filter Wink

It then ran fine and has been OK to date.
Have you left it standing for a while?
I'm still not sure what caused it, a reaction between stale fuel and plastic tank?

Jonny B Bad · Joined: 05 Dec 2009 Posts: 555 Location: NE London

I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt and hoping it was a drop of petrol/ethanol blend that went off and has left a sediment at the bottom of the tank. How many miles have you had out of your's since you cleaned it out? I take mine to work sometimes to keep it going so it sits in traffic idling which probably accelerates the process of blocking up the pilot jets and then it won't idle at all. I'll try washing out the tank before I contemplate coating.
_________________
What, Jonny's gone!

Jonny B Bad · Joined: 05 Dec 2009 Posts: 555 Location: NE London

PS

Have you got that motor back together yet?
_________________
What, Jonny's gone!

oily · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 4788 Location: worcestershire

JBB
I've done almost 2k on it after washing the whole system out and, as yet the problem has stayed away Wink

The worst bit was the strainer in the tank was partialy blocked by some sort of gel like gunge Crying or Very sad

And yes I have got that motor back together AND back in the frame. Also dropped the sump again and cleaned it out. Just waiting for a couple of Suzuki only O'rings, whack the rad and exhaust back on and.................we'll see what happens Wink

MARTIN · Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 226 Location: ABERDEEN SCOTLAND

I have read about this problem elswhere, especially for glass fiber fuel tanks.
The unleaded fuel we get causes a reaction in the glass fiber causing the wax
(white stuff you see) to be absorbed into the fuel,and if left for a time will congeal in fuel taps,strainers and in carbs.

I have not heard or experienced this,with the sb6 tank as it appears to
be some kind of thermoplastic,having left fuel in it for 5-6 months,not being
disturbed,while I was up to my head in snow, I checked and found no deposits
or anything floating in the fuel.
_________________
Marty
State of the art and leading edge of cocking things up

(00) SB6 (95) HD FXDWG STRETCH (01)GSXR1000K1

oily · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 4788 Location: worcestershire

This has been puzzling me quite a lot marty because it has all the symptoms of fibreglass/unleaded disease but like the SB6 tank, the SB6R tank is also plastic (made by Acerbis) I think.
I could be wrong and it could be fibreglass but I don't think so.
Perhaps some clever person out there might be able to throw some light on the degradation of modern unleaded petrol Wink

MARTIN · Joined: 09 Dec 2009 Posts: 226 Location: ABERDEEN SCOTLAND

Most petrol companies state,thier unleaded fuel does not
degrade for at least 1 year if kept in a airtight container.
If it is alowed to come into contact with air,it allows the
evaporation of the more volatile components of the fuel.

Unleaded contains amounts of bio ethanol (alcohol) which can cause
compatibility issues with fuel tanks,fuel lines and seal materials.
IF THIS IS ALLOWED TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH MOISTURE, (unleaded is hygroscopic - it attracts moisture) the fuel can suffer
from phase seperation.This is where the ethanol/moisture phase seperate from the mineral petrol and can react with surfaces that
may contain polymers ( i.e glass fiber/plastic fuel tanks). The phase seperation aslo causes the water part to sink to the bottom of the fuel tank and thus can cause corrosion.

Ethanol is an agressive solvent and can dissolve natural rubber,
including certain tank liners, and fuel pumps are supposed to have
a sticker if the ethanol content is above 5 % ( the letter E with
the % after E5 )

Tank sealent unaffected by ethanol are (PETSEAL ULTRA,SUREAL,PHENOL NOVOLAC EPOXY)

Also as fuel oxidises it allows the formation of gums and other particulate matter.
_________________
Marty
State of the art and leading edge of cocking things up

(00) SB6 (95) HD FXDWG STRETCH (01)GSXR1000K1

oily · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 4788 Location: worcestershire

So allowing for petrol companies telling lies, as they are quite notorious for doing that, 9 months to degrade in an air tight container. Most of us don't use air tight containers as our petrol tanks have breathers so that brings it down to 6 months which is more my experience Laughing

I was not aware that un-leaded could have an effect on plastic tanks so maybe that is where my initial fuel problem started. Very out of date un-leaded sat in a plastic tank for far too long.
Cheers Marty

Evilchicken0 · Joined: 12 May 2010 Posts: 2996 Location: London

Maybe somebody added something that reaced with the petrol.
_________________
Don't read everything you believe

oily · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 4788 Location: worcestershire

Evilchicken0 · Joined: 12 May 2010 Posts: 2996 Location: London

Actually lighter fuel is looking more useful by the day.

It's the vapour that burns not the petrol Idea

I put a little bit of the carb cleaning addative now and agian if a bike's been stood for a while, but because it's designed for cars remember not to add so much (cars have bigger tanks).
_________________
Don't read everything you believe